{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/22.1-208.01.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/22.1-208.01.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/22.1-208.01.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/22.1-208.01.html"}],"law_id":60130,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60130,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-208.01","catch_line":"Character education required","history":"1998, c. 725; 1999, c. 944; 2003, c. 777; 2005, cc. 461, 484, 839; 2012, c. 703; 2013, c. 575.","full_text":"A\n\nEach school board shall establish, within its existing programs or as a separate program, a character education program in its schools, which may occur during the regular school year, during the summer in a youth development academy offered by the school division, or both. The Department of Education shall develop curricular guidelines for school divisions to use in establishing a character education program through a summer youth development academy. The purpose of the character education program shall be to instill in students civic virtues and personal character traits so as to improve the learning environment, promote student achievement, reduce disciplinary problems, and develop civic-minded students of high character. The components of each program shall be developed in cooperation with the students, their parents, and the community at large. The basic character traits taught may include (i) trustworthiness, including honesty, integrity, reliability, and loyalty; (ii) respect, including the precepts of the Golden Rule, tolerance, and courtesy; (iii) responsibility, including hard work, economic self-reliance, accountability, diligence, perseverance, and self-control; (iv) fairness, including justice, consequences of bad behavior, principles of nondiscrimination, and freedom from prejudice; (v) caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion, consideration, generosity, and charity; and (vi) citizenship, including patriotism, the Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the American flag, concern for the common good, respect for authority and the law, and community-mindedness.\n\t\t\tClassroom instruction may be used to supplement a character education program; however, each program shall be interwoven into the school procedures and environment and structured to instruct primarily through example, illustration, and participation, in such a way as to complement the Standards of Learning. The program shall also address the inappropriateness of bullying, as defined in § 22.1-276.01.\n\t\t\tThis provision is intended to educate students regarding those core civic values and virtues that are efficacious to civilized society and are common to the diverse social, cultural, and religious groups of the Commonwealth. Consistent with this purpose, Virginia’s civic values, which are the principles articulated in the Bill of Rights (Article I) of the Constitution of Virginia and the ideals reflected in the seal of the Commonwealth, as described in § 1-500, may be taught as representative of such civic values. Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring or authorizing the indoctrination in any particular religious or political belief.B\n\nThe Board of Education shall establish criteria for character education programs consistent with the provisions of this section. The Department of Education shall assist school divisions in implementing character education programs and practices that are designed to promote the development of personal qualities as set forth in this section and the Standards of Quality and that will improve family and community involvement in the public schools. With such funds as are made available for this purpose, the Department of Education shall provide resources and technical assistance to school divisions regarding successful character education programs and shall (i) identify and analyze effective character education programs and practices and (ii) collect and disseminate among school divisions information regarding such programs and practices and potential funding and support sources. The Department of Education may also provide resources supporting professional development for administrators and teachers in the delivery of any character education programs.C\n\nThe Department of Education shall award, with such funds as are appropriated for this purpose, grants to school boards for the implementation of innovative character education programs, including a summer youth development academy.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":220026,"text":"Each school board shall establish, within its existing programs or as a separate program, a character education program in its schools, which may occur during the regular school year, during the summer in a youth development academy offered by the school division, or both. The Department of Education shall develop curricular guidelines for school divisions to use in establishing a character education program through a summer youth development academy. The purpose of the character education program shall be to instill in students civic virtues and personal character traits so as to improve the learning environment, promote student achievement, reduce disciplinary problems, and develop civic-minded students of high character. The components of each program shall be developed in cooperation with the students, their parents, and the community at large. The basic character traits taught may include (i) trustworthiness, including honesty, integrity, reliability, and loyalty; (ii) respect, including the precepts of the Golden Rule, tolerance, and courtesy; (iii) responsibility, including hard work, economic self-reliance, accountability, diligence, perseverance, and self-control; (iv) fairness, including justice, consequences of bad behavior, principles of nondiscrimination, and freedom from prejudice; (v) caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion, consideration, generosity, and charity; and (vi) citizenship, including patriotism, the Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the American flag, concern for the common good, respect for authority and the law, and community-mindedness.\n\t\t\tClassroom instruction may be used to supplement a character education program; however, each program shall be interwoven into the school procedures and environment and structured to instruct primarily through example, illustration, and participation, in such a way as to complement the Standards of Learning. The program shall also address the inappropriateness of bullying, as defined in § 22.1-276.01.\n\t\t\tThis provision is intended to educate students regarding those core civic values and virtues that are efficacious to civilized society and are common to the diverse social, cultural, and religious groups of the Commonwealth. Consistent with this purpose, Virginia’s civic values, which are the principles articulated in the Bill of Rights (Article I) of the Constitution of Virginia and the ideals reflected in the seal of the Commonwealth, as described in § 1-500, may be taught as representative of such civic values. Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring or authorizing the indoctrination in any particular religious or political belief.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":220027,"text":"The Board of Education shall establish criteria for character education programs consistent with the provisions of this section. The Department of Education shall assist school divisions in implementing character education programs and practices that are designed to promote the development of personal qualities as set forth in this section and the Standards of Quality and that will improve family and community involvement in the public schools. With such funds as are made available for this purpose, the Department of Education shall provide resources and technical assistance to school divisions regarding successful character education programs and shall (i) identify and analyze effective character education programs and practices and (ii) collect and disseminate among school divisions information regarding such programs and practices and potential funding and support sources. The Department of Education may also provide resources supporting professional development for administrators and teachers in the delivery of any character education programs.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":220028,"text":"The Department of Education shall award, with such funds as are appropriated for this purpose, grants to school boards for the implementation of innovative character education programs, including a summer youth development academy.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":12955,"edition_id":1,"name":"Programs and Courses of Instruction Generally","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12954,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":181371,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12955,"identifier":"1","token":"22.1\/13\/1","url":"\/22.1\/13\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12954,"edition_id":1,"name":"Programs, Courses of Instruction and Textbooks","identifier":"13","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12823,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:04","permalink":{"id":181369,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12954,"identifier":"13","token":"22.1\/13","url":"\/22.1\/13\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12823,"edition_id":1,"name":"Education","identifier":"22.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:55","permalink":{"id":180949,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12823,"identifier":"22.1","token":"22.1","url":"\/22.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":66514,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199","catch_line":"Kindergarten programs suitable for certain children","url":"\/22.1-199\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-199","metadata":false},{"id":80944,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199.1","catch_line":"Programs designed to promote educational opportunities","url":"\/22.1-199.1\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-199.1","metadata":false},{"id":86271,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199.2","catch_line":"Standards for remediation programs established","url":"\/22.1-199.2\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-199.2","metadata":false},{"id":87068,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199.3","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/22.1-199.3\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-199.3","metadata":false},{"id":61709,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199.4","catch_line":"At-Risk Student Academic Achievement Program and Fund","url":"\/22.1-199.4\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-199.4","metadata":false},{"id":79867,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199.5","catch_line":"After school programs for at-risk students","url":"\/22.1-199.5\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-199.5","metadata":false},{"id":58840,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199.6","catch_line":"Expired","url":"\/22.1-199.6\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-199.6","metadata":false},{"id":75210,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-199.7","catch_line":"Community schools; 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student-athletes; compensation and representation for name, image, or likeness","url":"\/22.1-212.2_4\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-212.2_4","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":80349,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-208","catch_line":"Emphasis on moral education","url":"\/22.1-208\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-208","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":86697,"structure_id":12955,"section_number":"22.1-208.02","catch_line":"Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Education Practices Advisory Committee","url":"\/22.1-208.02\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-208.02","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/22.1-208.01\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1998. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 725<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1999, chapter 944<\/a>; in 2003, chapter 777<\/a>; in 2005, chapters 461<\/a>, 484<\/a>, and 839<\/a>; in 2012, chapter 703<\/a>; in 2013, chapter 575<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":57753,"section_number":"1-500","catch_line":"The great seal","order_by":null,"url":"\/1-500\/"},{"id":77797,"section_number":"22.1-276.01","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/22.1-276.01\/"}],"permalink":{"id":181585,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60130,"identifier":"22.1-208.01","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-208.01","url":"\/22.1-208.01\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/22.1-208.01\/","token":"22.1\/13\/1\/22.1-208.01","dublin_core":{"Title":"Character education required","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 22.1-208.01","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Each school board<\/span> shall establish, within its existing programs or as a separate program, a character education program in its schools, which may occur during the regular school year, during the summer in a youth development academy offered by the school division, or both. The Department<\/span> of Education shall develop curricular guidelines for school divisions to use in establishing a character education program through a summer youth development academy. The purpose of the character education program shall be to instill in students civic virtues and personal character traits so as to improve the learning environment, promote student achievement, reduce disciplinary problems, and develop civic-minded students of high character. The components of each program shall be developed in cooperation with the students, their parents<\/span><\/span>, and the community at large. The basic character traits taught may include (i) trustworthiness, including honesty, integrity, reliability, and loyalty; (ii) respect, including the precepts of the Golden Rule, tolerance, and courtesy; (iii) responsibility, including hard work, economic self-reliance, accountability, diligence, perseverance, and self-control; (iv) fairness, including justice, consequences of bad behavior, principles of nondiscrimination, and freedom from prejudice; (v) caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion, consideration, generosity, and charity; and (vi) citizenship, including patriotism, the Pledge of Allegiance, respect for the American flag, concern for the common good, respect for authority and the law<\/span>, and community-mindedness.\n\t\t\tClassroom instruction may be used to supplement a character education program; however, each program shall be interwoven into the school procedures and environment and structured to instruct primarily through example, illustration, and participation, in such a way as to complement the Standards of Learning. The program shall also address the inappropriateness of bullying, as defined in § 22.1-276.01<\/a>.\n\t\t\tThis provision is intended to educate students regarding those core civic values and virtues that are efficacious to civilized society and are common to the diverse social, cultural, and religious groups of the Commonwealth. Consistent with this purpose, Virginia’s civic values, which are the principles articulated in the Bill of Rights (Article I) of the Constitution of Virginia and the ideals reflected in the seal of the Commonwealth, as described in § 1-500<\/a>, may be taught as representative of such civic values. Nothing herein shall be construed as requiring or authorizing the indoctrination in any particular religious or political belief. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Board of Education shall establish criteria for character education programs consistent with the provisions of this section. The Department<\/span> of Education shall assist school divisions in implementing character education programs and practices that are designed to promote the development of personal qualities as set forth in this section and the Standards of Quality and that will improve family and community involvement in the public schools. With such funds as are made available for this purpose, the Department<\/span> of Education shall provide resources and technical assistance to school divisions regarding successful character education programs and shall (i) identify and analyze effective character education programs and practices and (ii) collect and disseminate among school divisions information regarding such programs and practices and potential funding and support sources. The Department<\/span> of Education may also provide resources supporting professional development for administrators and teachers in the delivery of any character education programs. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Department<\/span> of Education shall award, with such funds as are appropriated for this purpose, grants to school boards<\/span> for the implementation of innovative character education programs, including a summer youth development academy. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCHARACTER EDUCATION REQUIRED (\u00a7 22.1-208.01)\n\nA. Each school board shall establish, within its existing programs or as a\nseparate program, a character education program in its schools, which may occur\nduring the regular school year, during the summer in a youth development academy\noffered by the school division, or both. The Department of Education shall\ndevelop curricular guidelines for school divisions to use in establishing a\ncharacter education program through a summer youth development academy. The\npurpose of the character education program shall be to instill in students civic\nvirtues and personal character traits so as to improve the learning environment,\npromote student achievement, reduce disciplinary problems, and develop\ncivic-minded students of high character. The components of each program shall be\ndeveloped in cooperation with the students, their parents, and the community at\nlarge. The basic character traits taught may include (i) trustworthiness,\nincluding honesty, integrity, reliability, and loyalty; (ii) respect, including\nthe precepts of the Golden Rule, tolerance, and courtesy; (iii) responsibility,\nincluding hard work, economic self-reliance, accountability, diligence,\nperseverance, and self-control; (iv) fairness, including justice, consequences\nof bad behavior, principles of nondiscrimination, and freedom from prejudice;\n(v) caring, including kindness, empathy, compassion, consideration, generosity,\nand charity; and (vi) citizenship, including patriotism, the Pledge of\nAllegiance, respect for the American flag, concern for the common good, respect\nfor authority and the law, and community-mindedness.\n\t\t\tClassroom instruction may be used to supplement a character education\nprogram; however, each program shall be interwoven into the school procedures\nand environment and structured to instruct primarily through example,\nillustration, and participation, in such a way as to complement the Standards of\nLearning. The program shall also address the inappropriateness of bullying, as\ndefined in § 22.1-276.01.\n\t\t\tThis provision is intended to educate students regarding those core civic\nvalues and virtues that are efficacious to civilized society and are common to\nthe diverse social, cultural, and religious groups of the Commonwealth.\nConsistent with this purpose, Virginia’s civic values, which are the\nprinciples articulated in the Bill of Rights (Article I) of the Constitution of\nVirginia and the ideals reflected in the seal of the Commonwealth, as described\nin § 1-500, may be taught as representative of such civic values. Nothing\nherein shall be construed as requiring or authorizing the indoctrination in any\nparticular religious or political belief.\n\nB. The Board of Education shall establish criteria for character education\nprograms consistent with the provisions of this section. The Department of\nEducation shall assist school divisions in implementing character education\nprograms and practices that are designed to promote the development of personal\nqualities as set forth in this section and the Standards of Quality and that\nwill improve family and community involvement in the public schools. With such\nfunds as are made available for this purpose, the Department of Education shall\nprovide resources and technical assistance to school divisions regarding\nsuccessful character education programs and shall (i) identify and analyze\neffective character education programs and practices and (ii) collect and\ndisseminate among school divisions information regarding such programs and\npractices and potential funding and support sources. The Department of Education\nmay also provide resources supporting professional development for\nadministrators and teachers in the delivery of any character education programs.\n\nC. The Department of Education shall award, with such funds as are appropriated\nfor this purpose, grants to school boards for the implementation of innovative\ncharacter education programs, including a summer youth development academy.\n\nHISTORY: 1998, c. 725; 1999, c. 944; 2003, c. 777; 2005, cc. 461, 484, 839;\n2012, c. 703; 2013, c. 575.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}